Thursday, June 19, 2008

Update: Fryer Cancels, Pockrass To Substitute On Tradin' Paint

Updated: Fryer has had to cancel her appearance on Tradin' Paint because of a scheduling conflict. Bob Pockrass from scenedaily.com will substitute.

If there was ever a weekend where Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press should once again be the media guest on the Tradin' Paint program, this is it.

Well, guess what the good folks at SPEED have lined-up for this Sunday at Noon Eastern Time? That's right, Ms. Fryer is back on TV once again.

Her appearances on this show have swung wildly from high-powered arguments with Kyle Petty to thirty minute love-fests with smiling faces and everyone agreeing on just about everything. Perhaps, this weekend's show will not be a love-fest.

Like it or not, Fryer is one of the most widely-read and highly-visible media personalities in the sport. Her AP stories travel across the country and around the world. She has also become one of the most polarizing media members in recent history.

She often mixes personal opinions into news stories without separating her views from the facts. While that practice thrives on the Internet, it does not travel well in print. Her stories sometimes seem to be driven by editorial content rather than hard-news items. To some veteran fans who view the sport as historic, her words seem harsh and NASCAR is often a topic treated somewhat less than respectfully.

Since she began appearing on Tradin' Paint, Fryer has experienced a wide variety of reactions from both regular panelist Kyle Petty and host John Roberts. Originally cast to replace Michael Waltrip, Petty's meltdowns with Fryer and other media members in 2007 were well-documented by The Daly Planet.

Fryer herself appeared to be naive to the ins-and-outs of the TV business when she started appearing on the series. Things like hair and wardrobe are not really key elements of the NASCAR traveling press corp. This season, her participation has been met with a kinder and gentler response from both Petty and the host. Her appearance on-camera has also softened.

This week, things could get interesting in a hurry on Tradin' Paint. The Petty organization has sold-out to an investment banking group and the company will now be led by a former video game executive with no background in either NASCAR or racing. Described by Kyle Petty during the new conference as a merger, Richard Petty's face told an entirely different story. That will be a mandatory topic.

Recently, a black female former NASCAR employee filed a groundbreaking civil lawsuit that many members of both the press and the sanctioning body have yet to grasp. The allegations published worldwide contain male NASCAR employees exposing themselves and racial humor as standard in the garage area.

As one of highest-profile females in NASCAR, all eyes are going to be trained on Fryer when this topic is raised. Her early AP reports broke this news and she continues to be deeply involved in this story as it progresses. What she chooses to express about her personal and professional views on this matter will be fascinating to watch.

Fryer also comes to the program with the inside scoop on Tony Stewart and his potential change of direction in the sport. What Stewart's rumored departure is doing to Gibbs Racing and what role Joey Logano will play in this chess game should be good topics to debate. Petty has some very firm views on these types of issues from an owner's perspective.

Finally, the lower attendance at the tracks may be driven by economics, but that only brings-up the topic of how to fix things. With Michigan TV ratings flat despite Junior's win, it should be interesting to hear if Fryer believes the COT or other issues are derailing the NASCAR train.

SPEED continues to offer this show as the only place where regular NASCAR journalists are exposed on TV. Produced by The NASCAR Media Group, this program in 2008 has been less controversial and much less opinionated. Even Roberts adds his two cents into the topics, despite his assigned role as the host.

It should be interesting to see if Tradin' Paint gets back to its roots and starts a good discussion of topics that fans feel strongly about. If any combination of two people can jump-start this TV series back to life, it is definitely Kyle Petty and Jenna Fryer.

Update: Fryer reminds us that she writes an opinion column every week and it is carried nationwide in publications. It should be interesting to see how many papers and Internet sites take the time to point-out that her weekly column is opinion-based.

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I believe Ms. Fryer will deal with the lawsuit very gingerly to avoid crossing the line and appearing to have some personal, "eyewitness" knowledge that could make her a candidate for deposition by one side or the other.

WOW..I have just started reading some of her articles in recent months...but hers was one of the first I read to name names of the guys suspended in the lawsuit.

Dang...I figured she would be in the NASCAR dog house and here she is going to be on Trading paint. I enjoyed her last show...I can't remember if I saw the one where Kyle got so hateful with ehr or not as he went ballistic on so many guests last year I hated to watch.

Thanks for the heads up. I juse hope I REMEMBER to watch since the new digitalbox upgrade from TW is a nightmare to remind myself ( digital tv guide does not always show the shows and you have to reboot...and a BIGGER NIGHTMARE for those with DVR's...eating shows or saying "channel not available" but I digress) I hope to find this on my cable listing so i can tape it or REMIND myself when it is on.

Jenna is quite biased in her reporting ... esp when it comes to Hendrick Motorsports & Jimmie ... She loves them ...

There's an article she wrote back in Sept at Kansas ... when Jimmie had to go to a back-up car ... She said his car was "demolished" when in actuality it was just the left front fender that had some damage ...

Jenna is biased against Tony Stewart ... She can't stand him ... She also doesn't like Kasey Kahne ...

I have the same complaint about Fryer that I have against all the so-called 'journalists' covering Nascar and that is that they write about and take positions on matters they know nothing about. They've never competed in a race car and their technical knowledge about chassis and motors is nonexistent. Once,Fryer was on Paint with Kyle Petty and Jeff Gordon. She made an insane comment about some driving incident that happened on the track. The look on Kyle and Jeff's faces was absolutely priceless!

correct me if i'm wrong, but trading paint is a show produced by NASCAR's production company. FAT CHANCE they will talk about the lawsuit and if they do it will be fluff city!!!! ray dunlap already tried to go where NASCAR didn't want it to. ray argued that 10% of NASCAR's fans are not hispanic like NASCAR put out in a USA today article. SUPER SENSITIVE SUBJECTS DON'T STAND A CHANCE ON TRADING PAINT!!!! it could be a great show...like PTI

Jenna Fryer is certainly a fascinating personality. I have read her articles, and though she can be opinionated, I don't find her anymore opinionated than Monte Dutton (I realize she is much more "nation-wide" than Mr. Dutton). I have also listened to her take tons of passive aggressive abuse from drivers during press conferences and not even blink at the pressure.

I think that her place in NASCAR is important. I have read the posts that state only a driver can understand what is going on, however it is important to realize that no women drive in NASCAR at a top level. It is also important to understand that half of the fans of NASCAR are female, so she (and Liz Clarke among others) brings a different perspective that an important demographic may relate to better than a David Poole.

That being said, I listen to her on the AP racing podcast and her voice can be a little hard to listen to. It is kind of squeaky, espeacially when she is making a strong statement. However, she doesn't seem to be intimidated by anybody and isn't afraid to go against the good 'ol boys if she feels that they are wrong.

I look forward to Jenna's comments on Tradin Paint. It's good to see somebody hold Kyle Petty's feet to the fire once and a while. I'm getting really tired of the drivers that toe the line with their comments regarding NASCAR. NASCAR, France and Helton are all big boys and are entirely capable of defending themselves without guys like Kyle, Mikey and the rest adding to it.

But I'll be surprised if they even bring up the Grant lawsuit on this show given Speeds almost total avoidance of this subject so far.

And......it'll be interesting to see if Kyle lets Jenna express her views. He has talked over her in the past on this show. It's obvious to this viewer that he has no respect for her.

Let's hope John Roberts keeps his opinions to himself this weekend on Tradin Paint and lets the panelists have at it. He needs to be reminded that this show is not about him.

Paris Hilton returns. She can't say much about the suit because if she was Jim Fryer, she would not have a job. She should be on of the faces of NASCAR diversity. Come on, anyone can make a radical statement. Granted, she's entitled (great word) to her opinions. It should be fun, though.

I'm a die hard Kyle Petty fan: always have been so it was great for me when he landed the Tradin Paint show. That said, I think the very best episodes of the show have been when Jenna Fryer is on. Petty can be outspoken sometimes and so can she so its very interesting when the two are on together. John Roberts needs to keep them on topic but otherwise stay out of it.I am looking forward to this weekend's show.

And uh, well, you know, like whatever, you know, I understand where you are coming from...Jenna, take pen in hand and write....go to public speaking class and learn to speak prior to participating in radio and TV....how disappointing that someone so high profile is unable to communicate on radio or TV without sounding like Brittany Spears or Jessica Simpson..."like, yah know"..."and uh...whatever" I guess the gender gap allows the media types to overlook her lack of speaking talent. What a disappointment from such a talented writer.

Thanks, I had no idea Jenna Fryer had biases against Tony Stewart and others. like I said for some reason, I have not read many of her columns...I think I have heard her bashed other places over the years and am not that familiar with her. Then again, I hear another female writer bashed as well....hmmmm....wonder if that's a boys thing? :-)

IMHO, Jenna Fryer is a talented writer, BUT her opinions should be segregated from pure reporting. AP feeds papers all over the world, and I've seen Ms Fryers opinion pieces printed as straight journalism. Like all columnists, she is entitled to express her opinion, but AP should label it properly on the tickers.

I am a Petty fan, so I am not unbiased. From watching Tradin' Paint and Ms. Fryer ( & Bob Pockrass) on it, I believe the discussions involve less disagreement than last year because the reporters have learned that Kyle will rebut their assertions and force them to back up their opinions, which is not something they are used to having to do.Passing off opinion as news is not unique to Jenna Fryer - and there are many far worse. For better or worse I believe she is going to become an increasingly visible voice in NASCAR news as newspapers cut back on staffing and travel and use AP instead.

You may have read some of Jenna's work and not known it ... Many newspapers / tv / sports websites use the stories from the AP and remove the byline (the name of the writer) ... There are 3 main NASCAR writers (Jenna / Mike Harris (though he does IRL too) / and another guy whose name I don't remember) ...

When one gets familiar with her work ... It's easy to spot it without a byline ...

Jenna wrote an article stating it was not NASCAR fault. Concerning the tires at the brickyard. If not? who fault was it. Nascar has a competition director (Robin Pemberton)that was his job to see that nothing like that happened. Pemberton was over the tire testing for the Brickyard. If jenna remembers Mr.pemberton was tied up that week with the 15hp cheap shot ruling againest Toyota.(Nationwide series) Jeanna should improve on facts and Robin Pemberton shoud be fired.